About an hour and a half later, with there still being no response from Aaron, who was by now in surgery having his broken right leg pinned and set, all the others were gathered in the O.R waiting room when the door burst open and Sean came in, followed by Kate.
"Jess!" Sean hurried over to Jess and hugged her "How is he?"
"He's in surgery for his leg Sean but he still hadn't responded before they bought him up and put him under general anaesthetic. He was just lying there, looks like he was asleep.
"Hey Sean, glad you could make it."
"Are you Matt? The one I spoke to on the phone and the one who sent the very cool jet?"
"Yeah that's me. Oh Dave, you got a spare bed? I sent the jet to Roanoke. Called Stephen to tell him, he wants to be here. Er Kate, or J.J, one of you go pick Stephen up? The jet should be in Roanoke in about 10 or 20 minutes. It'll only take about 40 minutes to get back here….."
"I'll go Matt, I don't mind."
"Thanks J.J. Hi Sean, I'm Matt, your brothers boss and friend."
"Hey I'm Sean, I live in the shadow of my big FBI brother….."
"What are you doing here Sean? What about your job and the hotel?"
"I've finished there Jess. I was gonna call Aaron today, tell him the good news . I got that promotion and transfer here, I've now moved to Quantico as of right now. Was gonna call Aaron and sort out coming here. Don't have to start for 4 weeks. How's my brother doing though? Hey Dave, guys."
"Hey Sean, well he's in a coma and a vegetative state. He's breathing strong on his own, keeping a good strong heartbeat and maintaining a good blood pressure. Physically the only injury was his broken right leg. But after the car hit him and he broke his leg, he was thrown clear but he landed and must have hit his head. Knocked him unconscious. Been that way ever since. He's not responding to verbal commands, he hasn't opened his eyes and hasn't made a movement. But he responds to painful stimuli and the doc said to wait and see. He's being moved to the ICU from here."
"Will he wake up?"
"They don't know. They and all us hope he will. Oh guys, til we know about Aaron and until the guy wakes up, everyone's on stand down. I already put the back ups in place. I spoke to the director. He sends his best regards and hopes Aaron's okay too."
They hung around in the waiting room for another good hour. Just after J.J had arrived back with Stephen, the 2 surgeons and Dr Winters came in.
"How is he doc?"
"I'm sorry it took longer than expected but we had to pin the bones, set the bones straight and back into position. We set his leg and put a very strong cast on it. He can't bear weight on it for at least 6 weeks maybe even up to 10 weeks but he can use crutches after about 5 weeks and his leg should heal okay within a couple of months. We're just preparing him for transfer now. I've put him on a course of antibiotics in case of any infection in his leg and I got him on strong pain meds as it would hurt him, even if he can't tell us. We'll be moving him in a minute. ICU room 4. Because of the risk he'll stop breathing, even though he was breathing before the operation, because we had to put on a ventilator for surgery, for now we'll keep him on it, just we aren't sure if we can get him off without the risk he'll stop breathing. Plus it's there for back up if he does. Once he wakes up, he'll trigger the vent and we'll be able to remove the tube and let him breathe on his own."
"Thanks doc."
"No problem. We've gotta go sort out post op instructions and write our notes up and go make sure Agent Hotchner gets to the ICU okay and transferred to Dr Simpson's care."
"Thanks docs."
A few minutes later, a nurse came in.
"We're moving him now if you guys wanna meet us there. It's floor 4. One floor down."
"Sure, mind if I walk with him? I'm his brother…"
"Sure, no problem, he's right outside. Hey Agent Hotchner, your brother is here…you can talk to him, we're pretty sure he can hear people talking to him." Sean followed the nurse outside where Aaron, lying in a bed with cast completely covering his right leg, lay motionless and on a ventilator
"Hey Aaron, it's me Sean. I'm here! You gonna wake up so I can give the best news ever bro? So I know you Aaron, you are just pretending right? Wake up man. Oh well my news can wait. I'll tell you when you wake up but for now I'm here bro and I'm not going anywhere okay. I'm gonna annoy the hell out of you til you wake up so you'd best wake up soon okay?"
"Sean, like he'd wake up for that….nice encouragement. Hey Aaron it's me Jess again. How you doing bro? You can't be asleep. You've slept for too long…wake up Aaron, please?" Whilst the 2 surgeons, Dr Winters, Jess and Sean walked either side of Aaron's bed and Dave walked beside Jess, they entered the elevator to go down one floor and the others hurried to get to the 4th floor to meet them.
They arrived the same time as Aaron and the others. A doctor and a nurse were standing waiting to receive them.
"Is this Agent Aaron Hotchner?"
"Yeah, sorry the surgery took longer than expected, but we had to straighten the bones, pin them in place and set his leg straight so it'll heal properly. But we set the leg, pinned the bones and put a strong cast on that should hold fine. He shouldn't put any weight on the leg for 6 to 8 weeks, longer if possible though after 5 weeks he can possibly start using crutches but only for short times out of bed, and should only be to use the bathroom. But although he was breathing strong on his own before surgery, we had to put him on a vent during surgery due to the general anaesthetic. But due to his condition and the risk he'll stop breathing if we try and remove it now, we've left him on the vent and the tube in. It'll also make sure he keeps breathing."
"Good call. I would have done the same. We'll keep him on it until we know more. How'd he do during surgery?"
"Good. He stayed stable and vitals stayed strong. He's a fighter according to Dr Winters."
"Here are my notes about my surgery I had to perform on the guy over 18 months ago. He came in due to severe internal bleeding and I had to perform a emergency exploratory laparotomy. He'd been stabbed several times a few years earlier and the stab wounds had caused scar tissue to form. That scar tissue burst open and he was bleeding internally. I managed to fix all the wounds, stop the bleeding and save his life. He crashed on the table but came back within a minute. Post op E.E.G and E.C.G were normal. He had numerous blood transfusions and fluids. Took him a couple of months to fully recover but 3 months after I first operated, he came back for a post op check and he was fully fit and fully recovered and in tip top shape so I signed him off to his primary care physician but told him he could come back if he had any more problems but he never did."
"Okay, notes look good. Let's get him settled in his room. Cos of who he is and cos of Jess here, I'll allow all you guys and unlimited visitors from say 8am to 8pm. But for now, which of you is Agent David Rossi, the one with medical power of attorney?"
"That's me."
"Are any of you besides Jess here related and family?"
"I am. I'm his younger brother."
"In that case you 3 can come in with him whilst we settle him. Agent Rossi I have a couple of papers and a form I need you to fill out? The rest of you, you mind waiting out here? We'll let you in once he's settled."
"Sure, no problem."
"Hey J.J, if I give you my key, will you take Sean's bags to my house, pack Jack a bag, could Jack stay at your house with Henry tonight and could Will drop him at school with Henry in the morning? I just don't think I can leave Aaron but I need to know Jack will be okay."
"Sure, that's fine Jess. He'll be fine with Will. Chris is planning on cooking dinner for the kids and Will after which Will can take both boys home. I'll drop a go bag for Jack at our house for Will."
"Thanks J.J. Tell Will thanks. I'll call Jack later. I don't know how I'm gonna tell him about his dad though."
"Just tell him the truth Jess. That's what Aaron would do. And he's smart enough to know when someone is hiding something. Kids know. You want me to talk to him?"
"Would you Dave? That would be so good of you."
"My pleasure Jess. I'll call him later after he gets home with Chris."
"Thanks Dave. Thanks J.J, Kate."
"It's no problem Jess, Jack will be fine."
"Thanks anyway."
"Oh out of all the 4 bags, there's a smaller go bag. Could I keep that with me? It's got enough stuff for a few nights and got everything I need for a few nights."
"Sure, I'll go get it whilst J.J takes the rest of your stuff to Jess's house Sean."
"Thanks."
Sean, Jess and Dave went into the room with the doctors and nurses who set about settling and moving Aaron carefully into the bed and getting him settled and set up. Aaron just lay there motionless. After filling out the forms and signing Aaron's admittance and consent papers, as it was now 4pm, Dave called Chris' cell.
"Hey Dave, how is he? Kate told me."
"He's okay. In a coma, unresponsive but responding to painful stimuli, he's had surgery on his leg and had it set and pinned and cast and he's just gotten settled in ICU but he still hasn't woken up and cos of the risk he'll stop breathing if they take him off it now, he's being kept on a ventilator. He was breathing strong on his own before surgery but they had to put him on a ventilator for the general anaesthetic and their keeping him on it for now. But h's still got a strong heartbeat and maintaining a strong blood pressure so fingers crossed. But so far he hasn't responded, he doesn't follow verbal commands and he hasn't opened his eyes."
"My god! I didn't realise he was that bad! Will he wake up?"
"We all hope he will Chris, it's just a game of wait and see but we're all here. Listen Jack's gonna stay with Henry and Will tonight so he'll be fine. J.J has gone to Jess's to pack Jack a go bag and she'll drop it by their house. But seeing as he really does need to know what's happened, any chance I could talk to Jack?"
"Sure, he's playing with Henry upstairs. HEY JACK BUDDY! PHONE FOR YOU! IT'S DAVE!"
Dave heard the thunder of Jack running down the stairs.
"Uncle Dave? What's wrong? Where's dad? And Aunt Jess?"
"Aunt Jess is here with us Jack. But something happened to your dad today. So just listen okay? He was chasing a bad guy when he got hit by a car. He's okay. He broke his right leg pretty badly and the car threw him clear but when he landed he must have hit his head as he fell unconscious. He was still breathing, still had a strong heartbeat but he lay like he was asleep. We rushed him here to Trinity General Hospital where Aunt Jess works. It happened to be the closest to where we were. We were still in Quantico today. But since falling unconscious at the crime scene, your dad hasn't woken up. He's just lying there like he's asleep. He's breathing, he's got a good heartbeat, he's got a good blood pressure, he's just had surgery on his leg to pin it in place and set it so that his leg will heal. And it will heal okay, the docs made sure of that. He's got a full leg cast on it now but he still hasn't woken up. The doctor had to cause him pain when he was examining him but your dad responded to the painful stimuli but he's just lying there like he's asleep, he's not opened his eyes, he's not responding to anyone as of yet and he's in what's known as a coma, which basically is a deep sleep. He's now here in the Intensive Care Unit where he'll get the best care and the head doctor here will look after him. But we're all gonna stay with your dad and do our best to get him to wake up. Do you understand what I've told you Jack?"
"Dad's been hurt? But he can't get hurt! He's a superhero with superhero powers. And he's my dad!"
"Even superheroes get hurt sometimes Jack but don't you remember over a year ago when your dad collapsed? He fought back from that and got better. The same will happen now. Your dad is a fighter Jack. Right now it's like he's asleep or in a dark room trying to find his way out."
"Can't I come see dad Uncle Dave? I really need to see him? I can get him to wake up. He'll always wake up for me."
"This is slightly different Jack. It's like he can't wake up from this really deep sleep but he will but if you really wanna see him, J.J is at your Aunt Jess's now packing you a go bag so you can stay with Henry and Will tonight. Will will take you to school in the morning. But if you really want J.J can pick you up and you can at least come visit but you'll have to go and stay with Henry tonight okay kiddo?"
"Yeah I don't mind that. Hey Uncle Chris, sorry I won't be staying for dinner. Dad's been hurt. Aunt J.J can pick me up but I really gotta go see him. "
"That's okay Jack. When will J.J be here?"
"J.J is at your Aunt Jess's now. She'll drop the bag by her house and then come pick you up so say 20 minutes?"
"20 minutes Uncle Chris…"
"Just about enough time to finish cooking and box you up a load of mac n cheese. I'm halfway through cooking cos I was gonna feed you guys early so you could all share some pizza when Will finished work."
"Thanks Uncle Chris. See you real soon okay Uncle Dave? Tell dad I love him and that I'll see him real soon okay?"
"Will do kiddo."
After talking to Chris a bit more and giving J.J a quick call Dave went back to the others waiting outside.
"Jack's coming. He so wanted to come I couldn't say no. Chris is boxing him up a load of mac n cheese Kate. Oh apparently he, Will, Henry and Meg are gonna be enjoying pizza for Will and Chris' dinner so he was feeding the kids early so they could enjoy pizza too…..but J.J is picking up Jack on her way back here. He'll still stay with Henry tonight though….."
"Dave, is that really Aaron lying there?" Stephen was clearly still in shock.
"Yeah I'm afraid it is Stephen."
"Can we go in and see him Dave or do Jess and Sean want time alone with him?"
"I'll go check Matt."
"Hey Rossi, give this to Sean will you? It's the go bag he wanted…oh I didn't tell you but I kinda asked J.J to pack Jess a go bag in case she wanted one. She'll bring it back here for Jess."
"Thanks Kate."
